October 6, 2008 - 9:00am
Controling oven spring
Does a longer final proof produce less oven spring? Since I've been doing Wild Yeast's "boule under glass" my oven spring has been down right explosive and I was happy. But now, I would like to try differnent scoring patterns and have them visible. The loaf below went through three stretch and folds at forty minute intervals, proofed for four hours, shaped and proofed for another seven hours. I scored it with the basic tic tac toe parttern and as you can see the loaf about blew itself apart. Do I need to let this proof even longer?
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Larry,
That looks like a phenomenal loaf of bread!
I'm really impressed that you had that much oven spring after a 7-hour final proof. How did the dough look and feel prior to loading it into the oven? Was it visibly larger in volume than when it was first shaped? Was it still firm, or wobbly? Did you try the poke test to guesstimate how close it was to being fully proofed? What was the approximate temperature during the final proof? Is this a yeasted bread or a naturally-leavened bread?
Sorry, lots of questions, I know. My experience with sourdough breads, for instance, would suggest that they tend to exhibit more ovenspring than yeasted breads. Then again, maybe I have a tendency to put them into the oven before they are fully proofed. I haven't yet tried Susan's technique, but other posters seem to experience oven spring similar to yours.
From where I sit, it looks just lovely.
Paul
I'll take David's advice and keep doing what I'm doing.
But, to answer some questions, this loaf is a 700 gram sourdough boule with 63% hydration. The formula is 370 grams flour (50% AP, 50% Bread), 214 grams water, 105 grams 100% starter, and 11 grams kosher salt.
It proofed over night at about 65 degrees F. There was a definite increase in volume and appeared to have doubled. The dough wasn't wobbly, but didn't feel too firm either. I was worried it would soon be overproofed. I baked it at 450 for 15 minutes under a preheated terra cotta pot. After 15 minutes, the pot was removed and the bread given another 10-15 minutes.
Now that he mentioned it, I think Paul is right in that sourdough tends to have more oven spring than yeasted doughs. I wonder why that would be. Anyway, I think I'll try my scoring on a yeasted Rosemay Itatlan bread and leave the sourdough as it is. It certainly does look rustic.
Thanks to everyone for their kind words.
Larry
I have used a clouche and have been very pleased with it but transferring the dough from banneton to clouche bottom is very tricky. It sounds like you didn't use the bottom but put the dough directly on a stone. Is this what you did or if not coul that work just as well using the clouche bottom?
If you have a stone, I don't see a need to use the couche bottom.
I use a sheet of parchment paper on a (rimless) cookie sheet and either proof the dough on if or carefully transfer the dough to it from a brotoform then slide the paper onto a preheated baking stone and then cover with the preheated terra cotta pot.
I'm trying to think of a way to get proofed sourdough into a preheated dutch oven.
Larry
Thank you for your reply. I am going to try this today. Have you ever lived in the New Haven area? I guess Your name is not that uncommon.
Hi, Larry.
That is gorgeous. My advice would be: Whatever you are doing, keep doing it!
However, if you really, really want less oven spring, you can more fully proof the loaf, as you suggest. The amount of time you proof it is not the critical variable. As Paul suggests, the amount of expansion and the finger press/dough rebound test are better measures. You could also forgo the "magic bowl" and just bake with steam.
David
what a wonderful boule! i'd love to see the recipe you used....i've gotten good oven spring using a la clouche on my boules....
deborah
Don't know how I missed your beautiful loaf but I'm here to say very nice. weavershouse
Boy oh boy, you've got some feisty yeasties in there! If you did forgo the bowl or reduce steam to try to get a crust going before it gets its top blown, they might just plow through the side. If you do some experimentation please post your results. Very interesting.
:-Paul
Two of the main contributors to oven spring is water content and the amount of gas trapped in the dough. Oven spring comes from expanding gases in the tiny, sealed bubbles in the dough.
The water content adds to the gases when it begins to evaporate, but it also keeps the dough pliable so that it can continue to grow. Once the dough hardens, it stops growing and the gas usually breaks its way out of the bubbles. So less water will make the dough harden up quicker.
Having less proof time keeps the internal bubbles small and the trapped gas content low, leaving less to expand.
so why didn't I think of it.
I'm not sure I want to sacrafice what I've got for what I'm going to get, but it's been an education. Thanks for your answer. I think for my next loaf I will try a little less hydration.
Larry